Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of removing a cleaning device from a printing machine and of inserting the cleaning device or another cleaning device into the printing machine, the inserted cleaning device being secured in the position thereof in the printing machine by a fixing device, and to a printing machine having a cleaning device that is insertable therein, and a fixing device that secures the cleaning device in position.
Cleaning devices which are used in printing machines serve for cleaning inking-unit rollers, printing-unit cylinders or sheet transfer drums and must be removed from the printing machine from time to time for maintenance purposes.
For example, in the case of a cleaning device having a collecting trough with a doctor blade affixed thereto, it is necessary to withdraw the cleaning device from the printing machine in order to remove from the collecting trough residues of printing ink which accumulate in the collecting trough.
In a cleaning device having a cleaning cloth unwindable from a clean-cloth spool and windable onto a dirty-cloth spool, it is necessary to replace the used cleaning cloth with a fresh cleaning cloth, an operation that can generally be performed only outside the printing machine, for which purpose the cleaning device has to be removed from the printing machine from time to time.
The cleaning devices reinserted into the printing machine following maintenance or servicing have to be fixed in the vicinity of the operating position thereof.
This is effected by a clamping device, in the case of a rubber-blanket washing device as is described in the published German Patent Document DE 37 44 800 A1 and, in the case of a washing device in a printing machine as is described in the published German Patent Document DE 44 22 612 C1, by retaining elements belonging to the washing device and being insertable into slot guides or coulisses on the side frame of the printing machine, the retaining elements being formed by end regions of an actuating shaft, these end regions engaging behind steps on the slot guides due to the turning of the actuating shaft from an angular position assumed by it when it is inserted into the slot guide.
Openable protective coverings are provided on printing machines, for example, in the case of printing-unit towers, for the purpose of covering the interior space of the printing unit between the side-frame walls.
In the event that the devices described in the published German Patent Documents DE 37 44 800 A1 and DE 44 22 612 C1 are to be used in a printing-unit tower having such a protective covering, at least two manipulations are required after the insertion of the device into the printing-unit tower, namely a first manipulation for securing the position of the device and a second manipulation for closing the protective covering behind the device that has been inserted and secured in position.
Large multicolor printing machines may have more than ten printing-unit towers, respectively, having two regularly maintainable devices, for each printing-unit tower, so that the operating outlay or expense adds up, and the sparing of each manipulation represents an easing of the work for the pressman.